(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in f-.theta. lens systems.
FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a known optical scanning device wherein a modulated light beam from a light source 1 is deflected by a rotary polygonal mirror 2 and is focused as a spot on a scanning surface 4 by a focusing lens 3. In such optical scanning device, the spot of the light beam is required to move at a constant velocity on the scanning surface. In order to meet this requirement it is necessary to utilize a lens system of a large negative distortion called an f-.theta. lens as the focusing lens 3.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
The lens systems disclosed in Japanese published unexamined patent applications Nos. 150144/79 and 41149/79 are known as f-.theta. lenses. The former of these lens systems consists of three or four lens elements and two convex lens elements are used in the rear group. These two convex lens elements are required to have large diameters and are therefore expensive. The latter of them consists of three lens elements but, as the entire length of the lens system is about 0.3 f (f represents a focal length of the lens system), its entirety is large. Further, the aperture ratio is F/95 and there is a defect that a small spot can not be obtained.